So-called ‘paras’ are plundering Dundee’s infrastructure.

Endumeni Local Municipality is under attack from criminals who, under the cover of load-shedding darkness, rip down electrical lines, piping and other infrastructure which they sell to unscrupulous second-hand dealers.
Copper fetches between R12.29 and R15.36 per kilogram and up to R60 per kilogram at Dundee scrapyard, source said.

(These criminals have been dubbed ‘paras’ – an urban slang word that has crept into the South African dictionary that is thought to have been derived from the world ‘parasite’ and refers to those, mainly homeless people, who steal municipal and other infrastructure which they sell to survive on the streets)

The latest target of scrap thieves is the brass fittings on the town’s fire hydrants.
Three cases were reported in the last week alone of fire hydrants being tampered with.
Already under pressure from four-hour stints of load-shedding, the rampant theft of copper cables has left many areas without power.
Last week, Cornhill and Birkett streets were ‘hit’ when the electrical box in that area was targeted. Gladstone Street, in the central business area, has suffered in similar fashion, with the electrical box being used by the homeless to store their blankets.
Two months ago, most of Dundee was left without power for over 12 hours when criminals stole cabling from the main power feeder box in the Forrestdale area.
A security guard was attacked and murdered by copper thieves while on duty at the former sweet factory near the vehicle testing station.
Residents have come out strongly against this ‘new attack on municipal infrastructure’ and have called for more steps to be taken to control rogue scrap metal dealer